SATURDAY 23rd FEB: SCORES & RESULTS.

[Windsor_Sec]

Duncs, having done what I do for 30+ years now I realise that leagues can have good and bad seasons but based on my admiitted short knowledge of the CCL I have seen quite a few clubs who could hold their own at Step 4 comfortably.

Where I really have to disagree though is your view on rebuilding because although it may be your experience of clubs saying they're rebuilding using it as an excuse for being below standard/broke/Bs whatever, that certainly isn't the case at Windsor. The old Windsor & Eton was a 1st team-driven results-based business which served to pamper to certain people's egos whilst ignoring the community as a whole. The 'new' Windsor was very fortunate in it's first season to have someone prepared to personally back a budget therefore costing the club nothing at all but it wasn't the way the new committee wanted to go as it looked to much like 'same old same old' if you know what I mean. Fortunately/Unfortunately depending on which view you take that money suddenly wasn't available whch meant we could actually concentrate on the initial plans we had whch was to rebuild the club as a community-based facility to involve the youth teams in the area and give them a ladder to climb as they progressed to men's football instead of the kiss the badge mercenaries who'll play anywhere for an extra tenner a week ! Consequently we now have 36 teams playing in Windsor colours who can see from our progression that if you're good enough you WILL get a chance to progress to the 1st team as has been proved by the dozen or so youth team players that have been involved already this season. We are though not silly enough to believe that you can compete at this level with a whole team of U18's and have started to get together a squad of local players in the 18-22 age bracket who want to play for their home-town club and enjoy doing so. The 'rebuilding' though is not just about the 1st team or the youth teams but the club as a whole and we're looking at various other community-based involvement projects such as school holiday soccer camps, maybe eventually a PASE scheme but also other community clubs like for example our local disabled sports organisation Sportsable who we're sure we can work with to some extent and offer our facilities in a partnership to benefit all.

Although we're arguing over the word 'rebuilding' which is used because of the history of the previous club I would actually prefer to say we're actually 'building' as it's really a new project albeit it in old surroundings ! Legacy, to use a much spoken term from last year's Olympics, is what the new setup is all about as the likes of me won't be around for ever but would like to think in 20, 50, 100 years that the people of Windsor can enjoy a facility that the current officials were instrumental in setting up for the benefit of all and not just the couple of hundred people who turn up once or twice a week to watch the 1st team play. Currently we are admittedly still mostly football activity based but that will change as ideas and projects progress until we become an all-encompassing community hub which we hope will cater for sports,leisure and educational activities across a broad spectrum.

Hopefully maybe 5 or 10 years from now when we're both old men still battering away on our keyboards I'll be able to say 'Duncs, do you remember our discussions about rebuilding' with a big smile on my face and say 'Come and see, THIS is what I meant !'.

It's very hard to put into words the expectation and committment people have at this club now for something that could be very big indeed and I for one would be distraught if in 10 years time nothing had happened so watch this space while we keep 'REBUILDING' LOL.

[BAD GUY]

Duncs, having done what I do for 30+ years now I realise that leagues can have good and bad seasons but based on my admiitted short knowledge of the CCL I have seen quite a few clubs who could hold their own at Step 4 comfortably.

Where I really have to disagree though is your view on rebuilding because although it may be your experience of clubs saying they're rebuilding using it as an excuse for being below standard/broke/Bs whatever, that certainly isn't the case at Windsor. The old Windsor & Eton was a 1st team-driven results-based business which served to pamper to certain people's egos whilst ignoring the community as a whole. The 'new' Windsor was very fortunate in it's first season to have someone prepared to personally back a budget therefore costing the club nothing at all but it wasn't the way the new committee wanted to go as it looked to much like 'same old same old' if you know what I mean. Fortunately/Unfortunately depending on which view you take that money suddenly wasn't available whch meant we could actually concentrate on the initial plans we had whch was to rebuild the club as a community-based facility to involve the youth teams in the area and give them a ladder to climb as they progressed to men's football instead of the kiss the badge mercenaries who'll play anywhere for an extra tenner a week ! Consequently we now have 36 teams playing in Windsor colours who can see from our progression that if you're good enough you WILL get a chance to progress to the 1st team as has been proved by the dozen or so youth team players that have been involved already this season. We are though not silly enough to believe that you can compete at this level with a whole team of U18's and have started to get together a squad of local players in the 18-22 age bracket who want to play for their home-town club and enjoy doing so. The 'rebuilding' though is not just about the 1st team or the youth teams but the club as a whole and we're looking at various other community-based involvement projects such as school holiday soccer camps, maybe eventually a PASE scheme but also other community clubs like for example our local disabled sports organisation Sportsable who we're sure we can work with to some extent and offer our facilities in a partnership to benefit all.

Although we're arguing over the word 'rebuilding' which is used because of the history of the previous club I would actually prefer to say we're actually 'building' as it's really a new project albeit it in old surroundings ! Legacy, to use a much spoken term from last year's Olympics, is what the new setup is all about as the likes of me won't be around for ever but would like to think in 20, 50, 100 years that the people of Windsor can enjoy a facility that the current officials were instrumental in setting up for the benefit of all and not just the couple of hundred people who turn up once or twice a week to watch the 1st team play. Currently we are admittedly still mostly football activity based but that will change as ideas and projects progress until we become an all-encompassing community hub which we hope will cater for sports,leisure and educational activities across a broad spectrum.

Hopefully maybe 5 or 10 years from now when we're both old men still battering away on our keyboards I'll be able to say 'Duncs, do you remember our discussions about rebuilding' with a big smile on my face and say 'Come and see, THIS is what I meant !'.

It's very hard to put into words the expectation and committment people have at this club now for something that could be very big indeed and I for one would be distraught if in 10 years time nothing had happened so watch this space while we keep 'REBUILDING' LOL.

 

Very admirable WS and wish Windsor all the best BUT I have to ask, would the club have taken these steps: a) had Windsor got promoted last season had the Chairmans money not dried up after trying to buy the league last season?

 

Maybe thats what Duncs is refering to ?

[duncs]

Duncs, having done what I do for 30+ years now I realise that leagues can have good and bad seasons but based on my admiitted short knowledge of the CCL I have seen quite a few clubs who could hold their own at Step 4 comfortably.

Where I really have to disagree though is your view on rebuilding because although it may be your experience of clubs saying they're rebuilding using it as an excuse for being below standard/broke/Bs whatever, that certainly isn't the case at Windsor. The old Windsor & Eton was a 1st team-driven results-based business which served to pamper to certain people's egos whilst ignoring the community as a whole. The 'new' Windsor was very fortunate in it's first season to have someone prepared to personally back a budget therefore costing the club nothing at all but it wasn't the way the new committee wanted to go as it looked to much like 'same old same old' if you know what I mean. Fortunately/Unfortunately depending on which view you take that money suddenly wasn't available whch meant we could actually concentrate on the initial plans we had whch was to rebuild the club as a community-based facility to involve the youth teams in the area and give them a ladder to climb as they progressed to men's football instead of the kiss the badge mercenaries who'll play anywhere for an extra tenner a week ! Consequently we now have 36 teams playing in Windsor colours who can see from our progression that if you're good enough you WILL get a chance to progress to the 1st team as has been proved by the dozen or so youth team players that have been involved already this season. We are though not silly enough to believe that you can compete at this level with a whole team of U18's and have started to get together a squad of local players in the 18-22 age bracket who want to play for their home-town club and enjoy doing so. The 'rebuilding' though is not just about the 1st team or the youth teams but the club as a whole and we're looking at various other community-based involvement projects such as school holiday soccer camps, maybe eventually a PASE scheme but also other community clubs like for example our local disabled sports organisation Sportsable who we're sure we can work with to some extent and offer our facilities in a partnership to benefit all.

Although we're arguing over the word 'rebuilding' which is used because of the history of the previous club I would actually prefer to say we're actually 'building' as it's really a new project albeit it in old surroundings ! Legacy, to use a much spoken term from last year's Olympics, is what the new setup is all about as the likes of me won't be around for ever but would like to think in 20, 50, 100 years that the people of Windsor can enjoy a facility that the current officials were instrumental in setting up for the benefit of all and not just the couple of hundred people who turn up once or twice a week to watch the 1st team play. Currently we are admittedly still mostly football activity based but that will change as ideas and projects progress until we become an all-encompassing community hub which we hope will cater for sports,leisure and educational activities across a broad spectrum.

Hopefully maybe 5 or 10 years from now when we're both old men still battering away on our keyboards I'll be able to say 'Duncs, do you remember our discussions about rebuilding' with a big smile on my face and say 'Come and see, THIS is what I meant !'.

It's very hard to put into words the expectation and committment people have at this club now for something that could be very big indeed and I for one would be distraught if in 10 years time nothing had happened so watch this space while we keep 'REBUILDING' LOL.

Great post WS but what you are describing is actually Building not Rebuilding,I hope it all goes well for you and the club, its just that some of your fans are quick to make excuses when things don't go your way,I have seen you play a couple of times this season and have to say you are one of the also rans like the other 21 who wont win the league,again that is probably hard to take but it is a fact and true.

[Rother]

Windsor forum....So no excuses this time round, could it perhaps be 'cos you won ?....excuses when you lose a bit like the Guernsey guys........ 'cos hes not playing, cos he injured, cos hes not available...all clubs have the same problem !. Accept defeat with dignity instead of making excuses, otherewise I will start a thread ''Excuses why we lost'' so every club can tell us why.... LOL

 

Classic.

 

Ok, so on the Windsor Forum there was discussion about the fact that we had a whole new Back 4 against Molesey and lacked a bit of height, muscle and experience against a decent team.... that's really the extent of it.

 

Blimey, you must have tried very hard to find a negative angle to take on that one. Fair play to you for doing so!

[Rother]

For the 1st month of the season Windsor had a management and squad that was essentially the same as the previous season.

 

Then they all left. On the same day.

 

Next day the new manager had to rebuild a squad.

 

Same could happen anywhere in the country - every time it does the new manager has to undertake a rebuilding process.

[duncs]

For the 1st month of the season Windsor had a management and squad that was essentially the same as the previous season.

 

Then they all left. On the same day.

 

Next day the new manager had to rebuild a squad.

 

Same could happen anywhere in the country - every time it does the new manager has to undertake a rebuilding process.

I don't think you are a manager i'm guessing maybe an ex ref or official or club officer an ex chairman maybe,I have never come into a club thinking I will rebuild what they had before

[Rother]

I'm just a fan. And an accountant - maybe that helps you understand my view of the world.

 

My original choice of the word "rebuilding" was totally from my perspective as a fan. I stand by it totally but it's just a word, that's all.

 

I do understand where you are coming from, as someone within the game. I honestly do. When you go into a job you want to build your own team and don't see it as rebuilding at all. I'm sure that's the best way to approach management - looking forward, rather than back.

[duncs]

No probs its just that i am at the other end of the employment market and words sometimes fail me, I am a builder and rhe word rebuilding normally means hard work because somebody else has fecked up,no its far better to go to a club and live and die by your own ability,the worse thing a manager wants to hear is anything about the person who he has succeeded,

[Windsor_Sec]

Great post WS but what you are describing is actually Building not Rebuilding,I hope it all goes well for you and the club, its just that some of your fans are quick to make excuses when things don't go your way,I have seen you play a couple of times this season and have to say you are one of the also rans like the other 21 who wont win the league,again that is probably hard to take but it is a fact and true.

 

Duncs, I guess that's what I was trying to explain as we saw it as 'rebuilding' as it was replacing what was already there but, in reality it is 'building' because it's a totally different concept. I didn't see the fans using excuses as such merely reasons, either way it's something we have to live with and accept. Finally, yes we will be an also-ran this season and we know it but I think if anyone had asked us if they thought we'd be where we are now back in September when the whole squad disappeared then I don't think many people would've said top 5 ! Like I said previously I've been around non-league for over 30 years now but the committment, enthusiasm and team spirit here at present actually excites this old dog and if we keep what we've got and add a few in the close season I can see a team that can stay together and grow together for a few seasons to come and if that brings success with it all the better !

 

As for schizophrenic Bad Guy/Nice Guy I'll only say because of your previous I have no wish to hear your admiration, best wishes or indeed anything you may have to say.

[Smudge]

Windsor Sec,GREAT POST.It has always been a dream of mine,to go the way that Windsor FC are currently going.Building a true Community Club for the benefit of all,not just 1 team!!! It was nearly acheived many moons ago at Croydon Athletic,until a certain Manager broke its back,by only taking the job on the understanding that only the 1st Team would play on the hallowed turf.The Club then revenue wise went downhill fast,as younger locals went elsewhere,so did their Parents.Your Manager Mick Woodward, should take much of the praise for what he has achieved,long may it last.

[duncs]

Ok WS but please don't fall into the trap of thinking that because you have 1 good season then another will follow it don't work like that at this level i'm afraid to say,just enjoy each game,survival is the name of the game at this level and anything else is a bonus,good luck to you all.

[BAD GUY]

Very admirable WS and wish Windsor all the best BUT I have to ask, would the club have taken these ''rebuilding'' steps :

 

a) had Windsor got promoted last season had the Chairmans money not dried up after trying to buy the league last season?

 

Maybe thats what Duncs is refering to ?

 

Strange that no reply to my questions above, maybe too delicate and near the mark to respond to...never mind 'cos it would have been interesting to hear the views of WS.

 

I'm wondering Rother what the reason was this time for losing at South Park which I watched may I add......?

[duncs]

 

 

Strange that no reply to my questions above, maybe too delicate and near the mark to respond to...never mind 'cos it would have been interesting to hear the views of WS.

 

I'm wondering Rother what the reason was this time for losing at South Park which I watched may I add......?

I think the penny has dropped BG it aint no big deal

[BAD GUY]

Very admirable WS and wish Windsor all the best BUT I have to ask, would Windsor have taken these ''Rebuilding'' steps:

 

a) Had Windsor got promoted last season ?

Had the Chairmans money not dried up after trying to buy the league last season ?

 

Maybe thats what Duncs is refering to ?

 

WS just wondering why there has not been any response/reply to the above 2 questions ? Any hidden agenda ? I like others especially Duncs I am sure would like to know.....

[Rother]

Ok, I'll give you a little bite so you can put one in your little vvank bank.

 

The Chairman's money was only ever committed for 1 season - end of. As has previously been explained to you, his belief was that the plans for development of the site would have come to fruition within that 1st year or so, hence he thought the club would have been well on the way towards financial self-sustainability in 2013. That was, with hindsight, hugely optimistic and perhaps naive.

 

When the penny dropped with him that, by starting the current season with a budget he was completely going against everything he had outlined at the formation of the new club, he changed tack.

 

That change, although resulting in a topsy turvy season, and slightly reduced attendances, has, most internal and external observers would agree, resulted in the club being an entity that the whole town can be proud of and which will, if managed efficiently and sensitively in the years ahead, produce a legacy for generations to come.

 

 

Who knows what lies ahead but it seems a happy club to be around right now.

 

And who knows what would have happened if we'd gone up last year? I doubt the Chairman himself could answer that question. Feel free to keep asking it though, it obviously makes you happy and that's important to all Windsor fans.